Stress Free Ways to Organize Your Travels

I have a bone to pick with travelers. In fact I have a few! Sky high heels, clogs and thong sandals all have their place but when you’re schlepping through crowded airports, hauling a suitcase on wheels behind you and no doubt carrying a heavy shoulder bag, you want to give your feet the respect and the support they deserve. And there’s no reason to borrow your great grandmother’s ugly support shoes! From athletic shoes to flats, you can fashionably protect your feet in a crowd. Do some on line window-shopping to see what’s out there and then schedule a trip to your local shoe store or hit one of those weekly department store sales.

While you’re traveling be sure and keep your shoes in a shoe bag inside your suitcase. Not only will you protect the leather or suede, you’ll be keeping the street dirt out of your suitcase and off your clothing. Which brings me to a note about luggage storage. Most of my clients store small bags inside large suitcases between trips. Do you do that? Take a minute to remember where that small bag has been: on the floor of an airplane, train or bus? What about the bathroom pit stop where you discovered no hooks had been installed? Did you set the bag down on a crowded city street at any time while you collected the family? You get the idea. You have no idea what’s lurking on the bottom of that small bag and you certainly don’t want to deposit it inside your large suitcase where it will wait until you toss in your good clothes.

Finally take the time to plan your wardrobe before it comes time to pack. Don’t fall into the last minute ‘I might need this trap’ and weigh yourself down with extraneous materials. In One Year to an Organized Life, I have a formula to help you whittle items down to a precious few. Here are two tools from my formula that will save you time and energy: why carry items that will be at your destination? From your family home to the big hotel chains, you will no doubt find shampoo, conditioner and body wash or soap. Why schlep yours along for the ride? Plan your wardrobe with items that coordinate so you can make many outfits out of just a few pieces. And finally be sure you aren’t bringing along extra outfits to impress the hotel staff. Only movie stars, politicians and socialites need worry about everyone’s opinions. It’s attention to details like these that will help you experience The Zen of Organizing every day.

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Regina Leeds is a New York Times best selling author. For more great organizational tips, get a copy of Regina Leeds’ One Year to an Organized Life and other best selling titles.

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